Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for configuring interface devices of a portable communication system. One interface device is configured as a primary device and the other interface devices are configured as secondary devices. The primary device can be used to facilitate communication between portable devices of the portable communication system and/or to facilitate communication between a portable device and a remote communication center. An interface device can receive priority factor information about an interface device operating as a primary device via a beacon signal. The received priority factor information is then compared to the interface device’s own priority factor information to determine which interface device should be the primary device. The process of determining a primary device from two interface devices can be repeated, as needed, to have one interface device designated as the primary device and the remaining interface devices designated as secondary devices.

Abstract: A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. A second group auditory data stream from a transmitting subscriber device of a second group of subscriber devices is similarly received. The conference server determines a relative priority level of one of (i) the first group of subscriber devices relative to the second group of subscriber devices and (ii) the first group auditory data stream relative to the second group auditory data stream, and sets different relative signal gains of the first group auditory data stream and the second group auditory data stream as a function of the determined relative priority level. The two auditory data streams are then summed and forwarded towards the second group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. The conference server determines whether the first group auditory data stream generated for the first group of subscriber devices is of interest to a second group of subscriber devices, and if so, sums the first group auditory data stream with a second group auditory data stream intended for the second group of subscriber devices to form a summed group auditory data stream. The conference server then forwards the summed group auditory data stream towards the second group of subscriber devices and forwards the first group auditory data stream towards the first group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A method, a device, and a communication system include receiving one or more concurrent transmissions from one or more source devices in the communication system; responsive to the one or more concurrent transmissions comprising a single source transmission from a single source device, retransmitting the single source transmission either clear or encrypted based on the single source transmission; responsive to the one or more concurrent transmissions comprising multiple transmissions from multiple source devices, performing one of: summing audio to create a summed resultant stream and broadcasting the summed resultant stream based on matching encryption parameters associated with each of the multiple transmissions; and broadcasting only a selected transmission of the one or more concurrent transmissions from a higher priority source device based on an encryption parameter mismatch between the multiple transmissions, wherein the selected transmission is broadcast based on encryption parameters associated with

Abstract: A method, a device, and a communication system include receiving one or more concurrent transmissions from one or more source devices in the communication system; responsive to the one or more concurrent transmissions comprising a single source transmission from a single source device, retransmitting the single source transmission either clear or encrypted based on the single source transmission; responsive to the one or more concurrent transmissions comprising multiple transmissions from multiple source devices, performing one of: summing audio to create a summed resultant stream and broadcasting the summed resultant stream based on matching encryption parameters associated with each of the multiple transmissions; and broadcasting only a selected transmission of the one or more concurrent transmissions from a higher priority source device based on an encryption parameter mismatch between the multiple transmissions, wherein the selected transmission is broadcast based on encryption parameters associated with

Abstract: A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. A second group auditory data stream from a transmitting subscriber device of a second group of subscriber devices is similarly received. The conference server determines a relative priority level of one of (i) the first group of subscriber devices relative to the second group of subscriber devices and (ii) the first group auditory data stream relative to the second group auditory data stream, and sets different relative signal gains of the first group auditory data stream and the second group auditory data stream as a function of the determined relative priority level. The two auditory data streams are then summed and forwarded towards the second group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A first group auditory data stream, from a transmitting subscriber device of a first group of subscriber devices or from a dispatch console and intended for the first group of subscriber devices, is received at a conference server. The conference server determines whether the first group auditory data stream generated for the first group of subscriber devices is of interest to a second group of subscriber devices, and if so, sums the first group auditory data stream with a second group auditory data stream intended for the second group of subscriber devices to form a summed group auditory data stream. The conference server then forwards the summed group auditory data stream towards the second group of subscriber devices and forwards the first group auditory data stream towards the first group of subscriber devices.

Abstract: A method for providing an indicator to a dispatcher of traffic on a shared multi-talkgroup channel is provided. The method includes initiating and transmitting a first communication on a first talkgroup over the multi-talkgroup channel, receiving a notification at a first dispatch console indicating a presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with a second talkgroup during the first communication, wherein the first dispatch console is subscribed to participate in the second talkgroup on the multi-talkgroup channel, and generating an indicator at the first dispatch console indicating to a dispatcher the presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with the second talkgroup during the first communication.

Abstract: A method for providing an indicator to a dispatcher of traffic on a shared multi-talkgroup channel is provided. The method includes initiating and transmitting a first communication on a first talkgroup over the multi-talkgroup channel, receiving a notification at a first dispatch console indicating a presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with a second talkgroup during the first communication, wherein the first dispatch console is subscribed to participate in the second talkgroup on the multi-talkgroup channel, and generating an indicator at the first dispatch console indicating to a dispatcher the presence of traffic on the multi-talkgroup channel that will conflict with the second talkgroup during the first communication.

Abstract: An actionable communication resource forming function performs a method for forming an actionable communication resource in a communication system.

Abstract: An actionable communication resource forming function performs a method for forming an actionable communication resource in a communication system.

Abstract: A method and system for operational improvements in a dispatch console in a multi-source environment includes receiving (310) a plurality of audio streams simultaneously from a plurality of mobile devices, transcribing received audio streams by the means of speech-to-text conversion, presenting real-time transcriptions to the user and determining (320) if a first keyword is present in at least one of the plurality of audio and/or text streams. Upon determining the presence of the first keyword, the dispatch console automatically performs (330) at least one predefined dispatch console operation from a list of predefined dispatch console operations. The dispatch console further receives (340) a second keyword based on determining the presence of the first keyword and checks (350) for the presence of the second keyword within the audio and/or text streams thereby enabling additional automated dispatch console operations.

Abstract: A display-based terminal (101) employs a method and apparatus for dynamically grouping (719, 723, 819, 823) communication units in a communication system. The terminal displays a map (703, 803) to the terminal user that indicates locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal receives (705, 805) an indication of a geographic area on the map. After the area has been indicated and the talkgroup identified, the terminal automatically groups (719, 723, 819, 823) communication units that are in or have entered the selected area into the identified talkgroup. If a regrouped unit exits the selected area, the terminal automatically removes the exiting unit from the talkgroup. The terminal user may further input criteria to limit which units entering and leaving the indicated area are actually grouped or ungrouped.

Abstract: A display-based terminal (101) employs a method and apparatus for allowing a user of the terminal to communicate with communication units (105-113) in a communication system (100). The terminal displays a map (300, 400) to the user indicating locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal then receives a selection from the map of at least one communication unit (105, 108, 109, 113) and an indication (309, 311) of the user's desire to communicate with the selected communication unit. The indication of the user's desire to communicate may be contemporaneous with the user's selection of the communication unit, for example, when the user has, prior to such selection, indicated a desired type (302-305, 401-404) of communication and/or a desired transmission mode (406) for subsequent communications with the communication units.

Abstract: A radio communication system (100) has distributed operational control. Multiple autonomously operable computer workstations (120) are linked to a radio communication database (175) via a computer network (130). A local database (211), corresponding to a view of the radio communication database (175), is stored on each computer system (120). A radio system console operator interface (206) is configured according to information in the local database (211), and is operated to perform operational control of a portion of the radio communication system (100). Data consistency of the information stored in the local database (211) is automatically maintained.

Abstract: A display-based terminal (101) employs a method and apparatus for dynamically grouping communication units (105-113) operating in a communication system (100). The display-based terminal displays a map (300, 400) to a user of the terminal that indicates, among other things, locations of communication units in at least a portion of the communication system. The terminal receives the user's selection of communication units from the map and an identification of at least one talkgroup with which the selected units are to become members. The communication units may be selected individually, as a group (e.g., using “click and drag” rectangling techniques), or both. After communication units have been selected from the map, the terminal automatically groups the selected units into the indicated talkgroup.

Abstract: A radio communication system (100) has an information display interface (201) to provide operator assisted operational control. The information display interface (201) has multiple control sheets (240, 250) each containing an operator configurable category of radio system control information. A particular control panel (263) for controlling a particular portion of the radio communication system is co-located on multiple control sheets (240, 250). One of the control sheets (240) is made active and displayed in a foreground display mode. Operational control of the particular portion of the radio communication system (100) is conducted through the particular control panel (263) on the active control sheet (240).

Abstract: A computer system (110) has a multi-processing software application operating (200) thereon. There are multiple client processes (221-228) concurrently operating as components of the multi-processing software application (200). Termination of the multi-processing software application (200) results from individual decisions made at each client process (221-228). If a particular client process determines that another client process is inoperable (530), the particular client process continues operation when the inoperable process is designated non-mandatory (550, 510), and terminates operation when the inoperable process is designated mandatory (550, 580, 598). Furthermore, when the inoperable process is designated single-instance mandatory and belongs to a particular process class, the particular client process continues operation unless it is the only member of the process class operating (580, 590, 595, 598).

Abstract: A multi-processing software system (200) has multiple operating processes (221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228) that communicate with each other using messages. Each process has a corresponding process class (410, 411, 412, 413). Each message is assigned a message type (450, 451, 452, 453), and messages types are mapped (400) to least one process class. A particular message is routed to processes having a process class corresponding to the one or more process classes mapped to the message type of the particular message.